1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to a dishwasher having a utensil dryer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Automatic dishwashers are commonly found in household environments. A typical automatic dishwasher comprises a cabinet that defines a washing chamber, which is accessible through a moveable door. Typically, an upper and a lower rack for holding utensils to be cleaned are provided within the washing chamber. A silverware basket is also usually provided and normally mounts to the door or lower rack. When the silverware basket is mounted on the door and the door is closed the silverware basket is in the wash chamber allowing it to be sprayed on by the spraying apparatus, which is commonly a rotating spraying arm having multiple nozzles that direct a focused stream of wash liquid known as a jet at the utensils to clean and rinse them.
Dishwashers typically have a drying cycle during which a sump heater, used to heat the water, is selectively activated to heat the washing chamber to dry the utensils by directly evaporating the water and by heating the utensils, which aids in evaporating the residual water. However, for a variety of reasons, rarely are all of the utensils completely dry. Most problematic are those utensils that are in contact with each other or with structures or surfaces in which water can collect or pool in sufficient amount that it will not evaporate during the drying cycle. The silverware basket is one location where the collecting and pooling of water is most common because of the contact between the utensils in the basket and the complex shapes and surfaces of the utensils.
If the utensils are not completely dry at the end of the drying step of the wash cycle, the consumer typically hand dries the utensils that are still wet, much to their annoyance. Therefore, it is desirable to find a way to ensure that all of the utensils are completely dry.